The Southwest and Southeast are predicted to be drier than normal, expanding and intensifying the ongoing Southwest drought while possibly putting the Southeast into a drought. Also, drought conditions are predicted to continue or possibly intensify across coastal New England with a drier than normal winter forecast for the region.

A colder than average winter is predicted across the Northern Plains, but the outlook favors a warmer than average winter from the Southwest over to western sections of the Southeast, as well as New England.